Neon Trees' Tyler Glenn on Coming Out: 'I Can Just Be Who I Am'

When 2014 rolled around, from outside appearances Tyler Glenn, the bleach-blonde lead singer of Neon Trees, had reason to be happy: In an era where rock music struggled to break at radio, his Utah-based band had cranked out two Top 20 singles. And yet, "I was becoming a little nuts," Glenn admitted to ELLE.com backstage at Milwaukee's Summerfest, speaking to the tumultuous few years he spent performing while still in the closet. But now Glenn, who came out as gay to Rolling Stone earlier this year, has never felt better. "It's just nice to be a whole person," says the singer in a wide-ranging chat that touches on his personal liberation, Neon Tree's latest album, and his longstanding desire to entertain.

You guys have quite the wardrobe for your tour.

[Motioning to a traveling case filled with neon-colored suits, jacket, and hats] It's more colorful for this tour. [laughs]

How do the songs off this year's Pop Psychology feel now that you've had some time to play them on the road?

It's cool how immediate the songs are. 'Cause we play a lot of the [new] record live already, and so many people know it, which they have no business knowing an album so well already. But people already know the songs so well so that's fun. And I think even for people who don't know the songs, they translate well live and they're arranged nice. So it's just been adding to the overall set. I think it's a fun show.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Are you already thinking how the new songs are going to play out onstage when initially recording them?

That's what I think about mostly. I mean I try not to because obviously we want songs to sound good on a record. But I always think about how it will be live.

I've seen you guys perform and it's safe to say you, in particular, are far more energetic onstage then when just relaxing here backstage.

It's literally like a switch. I'm really dependent on the crowd too. I'm really quiet. I don't know. I haven't figured it quite out. It used to drive me nuts a little. It was such a dynamic switch I had to turn on. I think I'm trying to combine the two a little bit. But I've always had a showman quality. 'Cause I love entertainment. So I've always had that quality in me, I guess.

The performance aspect of a Neon Trees show seems essential.

I came from church plays and community theater when I was very little. So I always liked having acts and scenes and costume changes and just putting on a show for people. I liked having a character to play. It's taken me a few records to find out who I am onstage. It's a nice blend these days.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Do you think rock music is in a good place? You guys are the rare rock act nowadays with consistent radio hits.

I think there's some others: Imagine Dragons had a big year [last year] and Foster The People a couple of years ago. But I know what you mean. It's probably one or two a year. It makes me feel stoked that we broke through in a way. A lot of my friends are in bands that are still trying and I know how that feels and it sucks. And we're still there too: We're not the biggest band in the world. But it's good to have a fanbase and to know when you show up to a city that people are going to come see you.

Though I imagine it's important to still have reason to push on?

Yah. It's cool to not be a household name. It would have immense pressure to be a band that's won a Grammy and done everything on your first record. My favorite bands are bands like The Clash and Queen, classic bands that grew over records. Not to say we're trying to be on that trajectory, but it's nice to know that there's still growth on each record. And I haven't done everything I want to do in this band yet. If I was bored already that would suck. But I'm not yet.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

What do you feel like you've yet to accomplish?

We haven't made our concept record yet. [laughs] I still have a lot of ideas. I'm a happier version of myself than I used to be to so I'm interested to see how that sounds in our music.

I take it you're referencing your decision to come out to Rolling Stone a few months back?

Yah. I'm grateful that the magazine gave me room to really talk about my perspective. Because I do feel like there is an undervalued group of people in the gay community that still believe in God and still want to have a moral compass. Maybe that's not always seen in the media: You either have to be a good church kid or you have to be gay. It's one or the other, you can't be both. I dunno. I still feel both. I didn't want to throw away everything. So I was happy they gave me room to talk about it. It's cool.

Someone's spirituality should have nothing to do with their sexuality.

It shouldn't. It's what we've been forced to believe. I enjoy being able to talk openly now. It's just fun. I think it's added a free spirit to my performance too.

Perhaps you can always inspire other people to be open about who they are.

I didn't even think about that honestly.

Have people reached out to you though?

A ton of people. And continually at shows and on Facebook and Twitter and stuff like that. It's really nice that I'm a role model for someone. But I did it for myself because I wasn't going on a right path.

And you feel more free now onstage?

You'd always wonder [before]: 'Am I dancing a way that's making some bro in the audience uncomfortable?' But now it's like I've put myself out there. So I know if people are there they're coming to see the show regardless. And a lot of it was probably my own insecurity and overthinking it. But it's nice to not have those insecurities anymore. I can just be who I am.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
ELLE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.